Gambiaj.com – (Barcelona, Spain) – Spanish authorities have dismantled a criminal network accused of stealing and smuggling dozens of vehicles from Catalonia and other regions of Spain to The Gambia, following a months-long investigation that led to the arrest of nine suspects between the ages of 19 and 53.
The operation, coordinated by the Mossos d’Esquadra’s Criminal Investigation Division (DIC) of the Ponent and Girona Police Regions in collaboration with the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency in Catalonia, uncovered a sophisticated network responsible for exporting stolen cars—mainly SUVs from an Asian manufacturer—to The Gambia, West Africa.
According to police reports, the investigation began after a sharp rise in SUV thefts since 2023. In 2024 alone, Catalonia recorded 137 thefts of the same Toyota vehicle model, with 38 recoveries. The trend worsened in early 2025, with 118 thefts and 31 recoveries recorded in just six months.
Vehicles Hidden in Containers Bound for Africa
Authorities revealed that the stolen vehicles were not abandoned but systematically concealed in industrial warehouses and shipping containers camouflaged among scrap metal and general cargo before being shipped by sea—primarily to African destinations, with Banjul, The Gambia, identified as the final port of arrival.
The investigation took a decisive turn on July 22, when officers discovered a dozen stolen vehicles in a Girona warehouse ready for export. Surveillance later confirmed that the group collected stolen cars one or two times a month, altered identifying features, and loaded them into containers destined for maritime transport.
Interpol cooperation proved crucial when Spanish authorities tracked a container that left Barcelona for Tangier, Morocco, en route to The Gambia. Moroccan police intercepted the cargo and found four stolen vehicles, originally taken from Ràpita (Montsià), Roses (Alt Empordà), and France.
Operation Spans Multiple Spanish Provinces
Further investigations exposed a broader logistical network operating out of an industrial warehouse in Huércal de Overa (Almería), where stolen vehicles were loaded into containers, often during weekends or holidays to evade inspections. The containers were then shipped through Castellón and Valencia ports to Banjul.
On August 6, police inspected four containers at a transport company’s premises in Castellón and discovered 15 stolen vehicles worth an estimated €300,000. Three men—aged 32, 44, and 53—were arrested in Almería the same day, with evidence linking them to the logistics chain and previous thefts under investigation in Girona.
Subsequent raids in Riudellots de la Selva (Girona), Monzón (Huesca), Lleida, and Salt led to the recovery of seven additional stolen vehicles and six more arrests. The final suspect was apprehended in Manresa on October 2, bringing the total to nine detainees.
Complex Operation and Ongoing Investigation
Police said the suspects used advanced electronic systems to unlock targeted SUVs without the original keys, then altered chassis numbers, license plates, and vehicle documentation before shipment.
The investigation later expanded to other locations, including Barcelona and Las Palmas, according to ElCaso.com, where additional containers were opened—alongside those in Girona, Castellón, and Tangier—resulting in the recovery of 31 stolen Toyota vehicles taken during the first half of the year.
All nine suspects face charges of more than 40 counts of vehicle theft, international vehicle smuggling, and membership in a criminal organization.
Authorities noted that the investigation remains open and that additional arrests may follow as cross-border inquiries continue in coordination with Interpol and customs authorities in Morocco and The Gambia.
